Episode 002: Why It’s Not About the Numbers (& It Never Was)

Intro: 0:01
Hey, this is Laurie Graham. Welcome to The Small Church Ministry Podcast.

Laurie Graham 0:15
Hey, welcome back to The Small Church Ministry Podcast. If you’re in a small church and you’re feeling a little beat up or burnt out, tired of trying ideas that don’t work, or wondering where to find some help for small churches, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Laurie from smallchurchministry.com and I’m so excited you’re here. 

Today we’re talking about why it’s not about the numbers. And honestly, it never was. 

Last year I opened my computer to an email from a pastor’s wife. She said she was in tears as she was going through the 5-day Challenge that we offer on our website. Her husband had been a pastor for 40 years and recently retired. For all those years they felt like failures. When he retired, he felt like he had failed God. From one small church to another faithfully pastoring, they never grew a church to a number that they thought was successful. She said they could never figure out why their churches didn’t grow, feeling like they were letting Jesus down, not doing enough.
And here I was telling them they were just like, Jesus. 

A huge weight was lifted. I think that’s one of the biggest blessings that I get to be part of right now in my life and my current ministry. I get to tell faithful, amazing servants that they aren’t failures at all. In fact, they’re just like, Jesus.

We’ll get to that in a minute, but here’s the question. When did we become so obsessed with size? When did we start measuring the success of a church by its numbers? Like where did we get that? 

Because it wasn’t from Jesus. 

In fact, it’s not biblical at all. My pastor husband mentioned a few years ago that he was running into more and more pastors with seminary degrees in church growth. He couldn’t help but notice that the pastors with degrees in church growth didn’t seem to be any more successful in growing churches than anyone else. In fact, many of them were failing miserably at church growth, even while they fully applied all they learned. 

Now I’ve never been to seminary. And I have no idea what they teach in church growth classes, but I do know this. You can do everything right and not grow a church in number. 

Occasionally somebody posts in our Facebook community, “Hey, what’s the secret? What have you seen? What factors make a church grow? Is it the pastors preaching? Amazing worship, a great kid’s ministry? The welcome area? What are the elements we need to grow a church?”
And can I just say it’s none of those. 

Some of the best preachers on this planet are totally unknown to you and me. Some of the best worship teams – you’ve never seen them. Some of the most amazing Kidman leaders. God has them scattered all over, serving His people wherever He sees fit. Blessing people in rural communities, unreached lands in the inner city, or even in hospice centers.

Do you think He’s reserved all the best gifts just to bless people who go to mega churches? Hardly! That is not who God is. His best gifts are everywhere in every community, in every land because God’s church isn’t contained to mega churches. It’s just not how He works. 

Some people who hold to the church growth mentality, that there’s some secret sauce we can create, they quote from the book of Acts, especially where it says, “and God added to their numbers daily.” They say it’s God’s design for every church that if we’re faithful, He’s going to bring the people. Like if we build it, they will come. Well, this is a fabulous example of taking things out of context and not looking at the whole counsel of scripture.

Acts 2 says God added to their numbers daily. Do you see it? God added to their numbers. It doesn’t say they did everything right so more people came. Honestly, it doesn’t even say those people stayed in the church. It says God did something really cool. Not us. And He brought people to salvation, not necessarily even to the local church.

So here’s the danger. Why do we think that if we do it all right, we’re going to grow a church? This is not in scripture anywhere. It’s not commanded. It’s not modeled, not even by Jesus. The Bible is actually filled with faithful people struggling, being driven out, exiled, enslaved, tossed in prison, ridiculed, running from enemies, and hiding in rocks.

The remnant of Israel. Well, it was a remnant. Moses didn’t get to see the promised land. Peter was stoned. Paul imprisoned. Jesus died on a cross. 

So let’s take a deeper look at Jesus’ ministry. He’s walking around doing His thing. He’s healing people, preaching the good news, breaking bread, calling fishermen. Now a few times Jesus had thousands come to see Him preach. Can you imagine 5,000 on a hillside? Well, more than that, that was just the men. So there are probably 10,000 to 15,000 people, including women and children. And here, Jesus is preaching on a hillside. Would that not be the coolest ministry day ever? Well, what happened next? Did they join His church? Of course not, we know the story. Very few people followed. 

I get so frustrated these days when people are so discouraged after a VBS of 150 kids that no one joined their church afterward. No new people came. They even start to evaluate if VBS is worth it, because of that. They do outreach events like a trunk-or-treat or feeding the community hot dogs, and nobody joins the church, they’re discouraged.

And I say way to go. You’re just like Jesus! 

5,000 on a hillside – who joined the church? Did they stick with it? No. Now note what Jesus did; did He stop doing His thing? Did He say well, that didn’t work? I’m not going to keep healing people. I must be doing something wrong. I’m not going to preach like this. I’m going to find a new technique. God must not have called me to this work. I’m a failure. 

No!
 
He didn’t do any of those things. He just kept walking where God was walking. He was joining God, wherever God was working. Can you imagine what a failed ministry leader Jesus would be considered today? Did He grow a church? Nope. Persecuted, spit on, abandoned.

Why do you think it should be better for us? 

Jesus didn’t die with a church of 10,000 following Him, 2000, or even a hundred. He pretty much had 12 friends and even they abandoned Him. 

So does this make Jesus a failed ministry leader? Of course not! He changed the planet. How did He change this planet? By big numbers, by building a church? Nope, just by discipling a few. Very few, in fact, I think that makes Him our example, our model. He just kept walking with God, joining Him in His work. I don’t recall a time when Jesus said, “Oh gosh, why aren’t there more people here? I must be doing it wrong.” He just joined God in His work. 

I also need to mention that Jesus did not drive Himself to physical exhaustion, or to mental fatigue. He took time to rest, to be, to pray, to renew. He wasn’t meeting every need or feeling like a failure that He was letting God down. He had one life to live on planet earth and He lived it within His God-given human limits. This is our example. 

So why do we think we’re supposed to grow our local churches in number?

Yes, we’re absolutely called to share the gospel, to love God, and to love others. Amen. Do that, would you? I can’t even tell you how many Christians I know are stressed out about outreach events and ignore their actual next-door neighbor. Christians who are mean to retail clerks and servers at restaurants. Well, God certainly wouldn’t expect for me to be compassionate to that person. They mistreated me. They didn’t do their job. It’s so much easier to host an outreach event. Isn’t it? And welcome the people who come. Do you see it? Let’s love the people that God gives us to love and quit trying to grow a church. I think that would start a revolution. 

So if growing a church in number isn’t ministry success then what is? 

I’ll just ask this. How’s your fruit? 

That’s where I start. Are you full of love? Joy, peace, patience? What about goodness and kindness? Faithfulness, gentleness? Self-control? Are you abiding in Jesus? Really? Not just a daily quiet time or thinking about having one, but are you living in it? Do you feel God’s presence in your moments? How are your relationships? Is there brokenness that needs reconciling? Is there a person you’re trying to avoid? Are you growing in compassion? This is tough work. Isn’t it? This is the daily grind of discipleship. At least it is for me. If ministry flows out of your own discipleship, it looks very different than trying to grow a church.

Now I have to say, I think it’s easier to think of ways to grow the church. And a lot more fun too. To change our coffee bar, to beautify our welcome center, to hire a worship leader, to start an outreach campaign, to host an Easter egg hunt, to design postcards. 

Now, please hear me. Those things aren’t bad, they’re amazing and fun and exciting. And I’m all for it. 

I love painting and building cool things and designing the worship stage. I even write about it on the website, but the thing is, they’re not the measure of success. We love to externalize our Christianity. It’s easier doing tangible things, measuring square-foot, worship, attendance, hosting events, anything we can do to see the results of our labor to know we did a good job because that makes discipleship so much easier, but it’s not true.

It’s not real. 

If we want to measure ministry success by numbers we’re setting ourselves up for one of two things, pride or failure, and neither one is a good place to be. 

Micah 6:8 says this, “and what does the Lord require of you to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” How’s that for success? Straight out of scripture, act justly, love mercy and walk humbly. Those are lessons for a lifetime of practice. 

So where does that leave us with outreach events and sharing the gospel? 

Well, it doesn’t necessarily change a thing except how we measure our success. God placed us on this planet to be a light, to show His love, and to spread the good news. Awesome! Keep doing it! Reach out, reach in, reach near, reach far, but just quit measuring success by it. 

So how does this change your ministry? I promised you this practical podcast would make a difference in your day-to-day ministry. We’re not going to get fluffy and theological, or debate different principles, or whether you’re a Sunday school teacher helping in the kitchen or even the pastor.

But here it is. 

If you think you’re a failure, you act like a failure. You talk like a failure. You think like a failure and that’s not glorifying to God. Especially considering He created us in His very image. So, this is why it changes our ministries. Changing the way we think. 

As I mentioned in the last episode, there are so many awesome things about small churches. We need to shout it from the rooftops. If we’re focused on why we’re not growing, we literally will not embrace what God has given us. What’s right in front of our eyes, even our own discipleship. If you think success is in a big children’s ministry or a good youth group or a professional worship band, what would you possibly say to visitors if you don’t have it?

But if you embrace the real gifts, God has right now in your church, as it is. It’s so different. But you have to be present to see it. You have to imagine differently. You have to abide in Him. You have to open your eyes to what God could be doing right now because He is at work. Especially if you’ve been focused on what’s not happening. You need to shift your focus because if not, it literally will block your vision to see what God is really doing right now. 

Here’s the thing. We are all links in a chain. We are part of a much greater story than the local church you’re in. Don’t think in any sense that you’re responsible for holding Christ’s church together because you’re not. He is. His church does not rise and fall on your talent, your effort, your faith, or your failures. Or even the existence of your local church. Ouch. God’s the one who holds the universe together and there is nothing any one of us can do to help God out. 
And His church is not going to die.

It’s written. What a crazy thought that we think that. 

So what do we do when the young family comes to visit and they’re looking for a bigger program? Well, the worst thing to do is to try to offer what the big churches do because you’ll fail. You don’t have the budget, the staff, or the critical mass needed for those big events.

What you’re offering is something so different. A place where every child is known and loved and celebrated, no matter what the ability. A place where their name is remembered, where people build relationships. You share a handbook that shows them how you keep kids safe, and that you’re committed to intergenerational ministry and helping each child embrace their gifts and grow in love.

Whatever it is, you have a vision for your small church for this place, ordained by God. You know what God’s doing and what He’s called you to. And you live it out with your head held high as you walk with Jesus. You stay faithful and you love. 

I want you to think about this. What if only one child ever comes to Sunday school? You pour into them, your eyes light up when they walk in the room, you mentor them. They become part of your extended family. You do life together. That child someday grows up and becomes a missionary. Way over on the other side of the globe and people who have never heard the gospel hear the gospel because of that one person that you poured into. Looking back at the time, you may have thought, “Man, one kid??” But you jumped on that because God brought that child to you. Your church poured into them and look what God did. 

What about when somebody suffers a loss in a small church? Or a birth? A celebration? A diagnosis? What happens in a small church? We all feel it. We’re doing life together. 

I know that church has a long way to go in being perfect, as our heavenly Father is. In loving, and forgiving, in dealing with conflict, in supporting others. In developing gifts, recognizing the value of every person, offering care, and allowing weakness. In opening up real discussions about mental health, and finally in creating a place where people with disabilities are not just welcomed, but they are recognized as a vital part of the community.

This journey is a lifelong journey, but if you’re focused on numbers and events for ministry success, it’s so much easier to ignore that journey.

Honestly, numbers are a distraction from the deeper walk of discipleship and the community that God desires for your church. Yes, measuring success by numbers is so much easier. It feels more comfortable. It’s more controlled. It’s more measurable, but it’s not real. And it’s not true. 

Before we can truly dive into successful small church strategies, developing volunteers, building teams, developing mentoring programs, running amazing programs for kids and teens, we need to get our beliefs lined up with the truth – or all of our ministry efforts are worthless. They’re literally trash.

If you haven’t done our 5-Day Free Challenge: Do Small Church Better, can I just encourage you to go get on the list? Go to smallchurchministry.com and sign up for our free 5-day challenge. It’s just five minutes a day for five days sent straight to your email.

It’ll take you through some truths about you, about God, and about small churches. Hopefully sets you free a little too. Just go to smallchurchministry.com and you’ll see the sign-up on the homepage. 

When Jesus said my yoke is easy and my burden is light, He meant it. 

Now, who do you know, who needs to hear this episode? If you found any encouragement from this podcast, please pass it along. Share this message with your pastor, your Sunday school teachers, your friend in another state. Let’s just do our best to encourage one another and all the more. 

If you haven’t yet dropped a rating or review for this podcast, I sure would appreciate it. Your rating helps others in small churches find this podcast. It really makes a difference. 

So go be a light in the world and we’ll talk again soon.